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Booking apps account for 60% of mobile travel purchases

• 89% of last minute-booking traffic takes places on mobile, according to the latest Criteo research

• In the Middle East, mobile bookings at 53% surpassed all other regions

Criteo ,the commerce marketing technology company, today shared the findings of its Travel Flash Report (Winter 2017/2018) which reveals the increasing influence of mobile shopping in the travel industry. Globally, online travel agencies saw almost half (45%) of all bookings take place on a smartphone or tablet in Q4 2017. Travel companies with mobile apps saw 60% of their bookings take place on mobile devices, up from 41% during the same period in 2016.

The increase in mobile travel booking is being mainly driven by travellers looking for last-minute deals and over-night stays. With mobile platforms making it easier than ever before to book a weekend away, searches on smartphones and bespoke travel booking apps have spiked, and account for up to 89% of traffic, for last-minute bookings. In the Middle East, mobile bookings at 53% surpassed all other regions.

Michele Iozzo, Managing Director Middle East & Africa, said: “Shoppers in the Middle East are increasingly booking their travels from apps and smartphones due to the flexibility and accessibility of these platforms. However, with the holiday booking period approaching, online travel agencies and suppliers need to ensure that convenience doesn’t come at the price of a great user experience. Connecting all of those touchpoints across platforms and devices, and providing the shopper with a unique and seamless booking experience is thus key for a successful booking season.”

Key insights from Criteo’s Travel Flash Report for Q4 2017 include:

• Mobile is still growing around the world for Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) as 45% of bookings take place on mobile devices in comparison to just 16% for suppliers

• Up to 80% of last-minute bookings globally are made on mobile devices

• Conversion rates on apps are 5x those on mobile web and twice those on desktop – above the retail industry average

• While suppliers have a lower share of mobile bookings, a third (32%) of their bookings are preceded by a click on a different device, demonstrating the importance of data collaboration to improve mobile performance

• 33% of over-night stays are searched for on apps, as holidaymakers move away from desktop for quick breaks